Universal joint.



No. 771,457. PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904. E. Wx BULLARD.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

APPLIUTION FILED MAY 18, 1904. .N0 MODEL.

No. 771,457. A

UNITED STATES Patented October 4, 1904.

VPATENT OEEICE.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 771,457, dated October 4, 1904.

Application filed May 18, 1904. Serial No. 208,589. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWIN I/V. BULLARD, a citizen of the United States of. America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden of the device to do away with any lost motion;

`and the invention consists in the construction set forth in the following specification and clearly pointedoutin Athe claims `appended thereto, the novel construction onwhich the claims are based being clearly illustrated Ain the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of a joint embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. l, the plane of the section being at right angles to that of the lastnamed figure. Fig. 3 is an elevation of certain of the parts in their assembled position. Fig. I is a transverse section on line 4 4t, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 includes an elevation and section of one of the bearing-blocks. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of certain parts of the device to take up wear.

Referring to the drawings, a is one of the shaft-sections, one end of which is threaded, whereby it may be securedin operative engageinent with a driving or driven shaft, the latter being indicated by On the opposite end of this shaft-section c a ball c is formed. The other shaft-section is indicated by d, and

one end of this is bored out and threaded to permit it to be secured in operative engagernent with a driven or driving shaft, as e. The shaft-section d is of such diameter as will permit the formation therein of a spherical socket f to receive the ball c. This shaft-section Z is made in two parts, the line of division running at right angles to the axis of the' shaftsection a. This line is lettered g, and the portion of the shaft-section lying above it is lettered 7L and the portion below it L, one halfV of the spherical socket f being formed in the portion /L and the other half in the portion 7L. Two vertical slots j are cut through the wall of the section d, extending into the spherical socketf. These slots are oppositely located and parallel and extend to an equal degree above and below the line The shaft-section d is circular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 4., and the portion thereof has a central aperture c extending into the socket f, said aperture being of a size to permit the shaftsection t above the ball c to pass through it to permit the assemblage of the two portions of the shaft-section d. These two portions are doweled together, as shown, t'he dowels/1n extending from the upper end of the portion 7L down through it into holes in the portion /1/ without cutting into the socketf. Exteriorly the upper end of the portion L is turned off to provide an upstanding iiange o around the aperture 7n, and the portions /t and /t of the shaft-section l are secured together by a cylindrical shell p, which is fitted over and incloses both of these portions, as shown in the main figures of the drawings, said shell being internally threaded at its lower end, whereby it may be screwed onto the threaded part g of the portion t' of the shaft-section (Z, the diarneter of which is such where said thread is cut that the side walls of the shell will be out of contact with the side of the shaft-section. The upper end of the shell is centered by the flange 0, a hole being cut through the end of said shell to iit said flange closely. Vhen the shell, therefore, is screwed onto the lower portion /t of the shaft-section d, it will bind the two portions /L and 7L together and hold Y the dowel-pins in their places, Thus while the dowel-pins constitute the active element to hold the two portions L and /t' together the shell p, notwithstanding the fact that it is not in Contact with the side of the shaft-section a, adds greatly to the strength and rigidity of the structure, for it is screwed solidlyon the portion L, as described, and the opposite end fits closely over the flange o, and besides it serves to exclude dirt from the slots j, which extend into the socket f.

On the opposite sides of the ball fr on the transverse axis thereof two'trunnions 'u are formed. These may be integral with the ball,

IOO

if desired, or, as shown in the drawings, a pin may be driven entirely through the ball, its protruding ends constituting the trunnions.

in turn have a close sliding iit in the vertical slots j. Thus when the shaftsection t is swung in a plane parallel with the axis of the trunnions the bearing-blocks will have a sliding movement in said slots j, and when swung in a plane at right angles to the axis of said trunnions said shaft-section'will swing on the trunnions, the blocks remaining' stationary. In all planes of movement between these two I5 the movement will be a compound movement of the two above described, as usual'in joints of this character. The bearing of the ball in its socket, however, serves to maintain the point of intersection of the axes of the joint 2O in an unvarying position, thus insuring an entirely smooth action between the parts in whatever positionthey may assume.

Means are provided for taking up the wear of the bearing-blocks s in the slots j by inserting in one of the vertical sides of each slot a sliding wedge o. (Shown in detail in Fig. 6.) Preferably this wedge is made T shape in cross-section, the rib on the back side of the wedge fitting closely a slot milled in the border of the slot j, and a hole is drilled the pin being such that when the shell p is screwed down against the upper end of said portion 71, it will move the wedge fu to such a position as to provide a proper bearing for the block s, If desired, this pin may be replaced by a screw, the head of which would be countersunk in the upper end of the portion L, whereby the wedge may be adjusted independently of the shell p.

To provide for the properlubrication of the 5 ball and socket, a groove is formed in the d lowersurface of the ball c, and another groove m' may, if desired, be located in the upper part of the socket f .in the portion /L of the shaft-section d. Should any wear take place between the ball and socket, the shell p may be removed and the portions /L and /L of the shaftsection d separated, and the edges of one or both of the latter which come together on the divisional line g may be ground oif.-

When the portions L and /L are ground oif,

the pin w will also be proportionally shortened if no adjustment of the Wedge@ is to be effected. If the latter alone is to be adjusted, a longer pin fu may be substituted for the one in use.

To exclude dust from the jointfa piece of flexible material y may be bound to the upper edge of the shell and to the lower end of the shaft b by means of clamping-rings y' or in! any other suitable manner.

This positively On these trunnions are fitted the bear- 5 ing-blockss, (shown in detail in Fig. 3,) which into two portions on its transverse axis, and Y having vertical oppositely-disposed, parallel slots located in part in both portions of the socket; dowel-pins in one of said socket portions extending into the other portion, a shell to inclose said socket portions to rigidly secure them together; and trunnions on the ball extending into said vertical slots.

2. A universal joint consisting of two shaftsections provided respectively one with a ball and the other with aspherical socket to receive the ball, said socket being divided into two portions transversely in the plane of the center of the ball; interlocking means to maintain said portions in fixed relation one to the other, an inclosing shell for said socket portions, and means to secure the shell to one of said portions, to hold the two portions to.

gether, there being vertical oppositely-located slots in. said socket portions; together with trunnions on said ball extending into said ver.- tical slots.

4. A universal joint consisting of two shaftsections provided respectively one with a ball and the other with a socket to receive the ball; said socket being divided `into two portions in the plane of the center of the ball and -at right angles to the axis of the ball-provided shaft-section; there being oppositely-located slots in said socket portions at right angles to the line of division between said portions; trunnionson the ball, and bearing-blocks on the trunnions to lit said slots, and means of adjustment between said blocks and the border of said slots to take up wear; a shell to inclose both of said socket portions, and provided with a screw engagement with one of them, whereby they may be secured together in registering position.

4. A universal joint of the ball-and-socket type comprising' a ball-provided shaft-section, a socket divided into two portions in the plane of the center thereof and at right angles to the axis of said shaft-section, whereby wear between the ball and the socket may be taken up in one plane; there being oppositely-disposed slots in the socket portions located at right angles to the divisional line between said portions; trunnions on said ball to enter said slots, bearing-blocks on the trunnions slidable in said slots, and means to take up the wear between one side of said blocks and the border of said slots in a plane at right angles to said first-named plane; together with a shell hav- IOO IIS

IO having vertical oppositely-disposed, parallel slots located in part in both portions of the Socket; interlocking means v0n said socket portions to hold them in registering positions, a shell to inclose said socket portions to rigidly secure them together, and trunnions on the I5 ball extending into said vertical slots.

EDWIN W. BULLARD. Vitnesses:

WM. H. CHAPIN, K. I. CLEMoNs. 

